We have finally made it. Opening weekend is here! Follow me on X, @Wes10Rundown.

Highlighted matchups

• Shriner’s Showdown
• Desert Invitational
• Puerto Rico Classic
• Baseball at the Beach Tournament
• Swig and Swine Classic
• Texas Tech @ North Carolina
• TCU @ San Diego – Series of the Weekend
• Northeastern @ Charlotte
• Ohio State @ Arizona State
• Missouri State @ Sam Houston State
• Illinois State @ Western Kentucky
• Cal Poly @ UCLA

Shriners Showdown

Day 1

Game 1 will be a good one between Clemson and Oklahoma State. Returning ace Aiden Knaak gets the ball for Clemson. We know what Knaak brings to the table as he earned a First-Team All-Acc nod last season. Harrison Bodendorf will go for the Cowboys. Bodendorf put up great numbers at Hawaii and was a big get in the portal for the Cowboys. Gabe Davis will likely come out of the pen in relief. Update: Davis is starting for OKST. Each lineup will feature a potential Golden Spikes Winner in Clemson’s Cam Cannerella and OK State’s Nolan Schubart. With it being the first game, I doubt either starter very deep. Clemson’s HC Erik Bakich will be coaching via livestream due to suspension after last year’s super regional. I lean under and towards Oklahoma State. This will be a good one.

Ole Miss and Arizona are set up for game 2 in an unofficial SEC matchup. Hunter Elliot is getting the ball for the Rebels. highly anticipated return to the mound. This is Elliot’s highly anticipated return after missing last season and most of 2023. He was a huge contribution to the 2022 National Championship team as a Freshman. Arizona returns their lineup production but must replace the weekend rotation, which was perhaps their biggest strength. The Wildcats will role out transfer Collin McKinney. McKinney has some good stuff and impressed throughout the fall to earn the Friday role. I am wondering how long Elliot goes as it is first game back. I want to lean Ole Miss, but was surprised to see them as favorites.

Louisville and Texas will be the night cap on Opening Day. Two teams I expect to compete towards the top of their conferences. I am expecting Louisville to roll out Patrick Forbes. Forbes has some of the best stuff in the ACC and will need it against a deep Texas lineup headlined by Max Belie and Jalin Flores. Texas has yet to announce a starter, but I am expecting Jared Spencer or Luke Harrison. Update: Spencer is starting. He is an Indiana State transfer with upside. Harrison will go Saturday. I like Louisville’s pitching staff. I expect pitching Max Weiner to work his magic with this Texas staff but this is game one. Lean towards the under and Louisville.

Day 2 & 3

Will update once more information is available.

Desert Invitational

8 teams are in Arizona ready to kick off the season: Vanderbilt, Nebraska, UC Irvine, Austin Peay, New Mexico, Seton Hall, and San Diego State.

Nebraska and UC Irvine will play Friday at 3pm and will be on my list to watch. These are talented two squads I had right outside my preseason top 25. Nebraska needs to replace Sears, who was the best pitcher in the Big Ten last year. Irvine is also replacing a good amount of pitching. Both team have two superstar type players in Nebraska’s Gabe Swanson and UCI’s Anthony Martinez. Mason McConnaughey will get the ball for Nebraska after a successful 2024 season. I lean Nebraska here, but the Anteaters are a dangerous fade. Update: Martinez is out for the weekend.

Vanderbilt and Grand Canyon will be a good one on Friday Night. People are writing Vandy’s program off in the SEC during the NIL era, but I am higher on this team than the squads the last few seasons. They have a ton of talent on the mound led by JD Thompson. Thompson proved his talents last season, stepping up for a slacking Vandy rotation down the stretch. Isaac Lyon will headline GCU’s rotation after an all conference nod in 2024. GCU is a talented team and will likely be in a regional once again. However, they may be out classed by Vandy’s pitching staff. Like Vandy here.

Days 2 & 3

Will update once more information is available.

Puerto Rico Challenge

The Puerto Rico challenge will feature Virginia, Michigan, UConn, Penn State, Rice, Missouri, Villanova, and Stetson.

UConn and Stetson will kick the challenge off Friday morning in what should be a good matchup. UConn’s likely to send out Big East preseason pitcher of the year, Ian Cooke. Stetson returns a good amount from last year’s regional team. Georgia transfer, James Hayes likely gets the ball on Friday. Lean under at the right number.

UVA and Michigan will be game 2. Michigan is a team I am excited to watch compete in the Big 10 this season; however, I do not think they will be a match for the Cavs. Virginia will be without ace Evan Blanco this weekend, but this team is deep. They should be fine.

Missouri vs Penn State will be the third game of the day and a spot where I am looking to back the dog. Penn State will be an older, experienced team with hopes of landing in a regional this season. LSU transfer, Paxton Kling, was a big get for the Nittany Lions. Missouri has a ton of questions that need to be answered. Backing a Big Ten team over a SEC team can be difficult in college baseball, but I like the spot.

I do not know much about this Rice / Villanova game. The line is too juiced for me to trust Rice but they should be the better team.

Days 2 & 3

Will update once more information is available.

Texas Tech @ North Carolina

Texas Tech can hit the baseball as well as anyone, which makes them a difficult opponent in any given matchup. The pitching is what has held the Red Raiders back the last few years. UNC will feature one of the ACC’s best rotations with plenty of bullpen support to keep this Tech offense in check. Watching this staff take on an elite offense will make great television for opening weekend. Folger Boaz will go Friday for UNC and isa pitcher I will be looking to back. Lean Tar Heels, especially game one, but would not be surprised to see Tech steal a game in this series.

Cal Poly @ UCLA

This series intrigues me. UCLA had a top recruiting class in 2023 but that load of young talent that did not live up to hype last season. The pitching struggled, but they should return back this season with more experience under the belt. Cal Poly struggled at the beginning of last season before playing well in Big West play. The Ponies even won both series against UCSB and UC Irvine. They return a decent amount of arms that stepped up for them during that run. UCLA has the talent to compete in the Big Ten amongst year one. I may sit this one out game one to see what UCLA has to offer but I will like the Ponies in a game this weekend. Like the under if we see anything double digits.

TCU @ San Diego

This is the series of the weekend for me. San Diego has a squad out West and will likely role into another regional. TCU had an eventful 2024 and will be back with vengeance. The Frogs started the year red hot before drastically cooling off down the stretch. They return a decent amount of talent and have their eyes set on Omaha in 2025. I have read that Ben Abeldt and Kole Klecker are banged up for TCU. I am not sure if they will make an appearance from the pen, but they are not listed in the rotation. Update: Abeldt is out for the season. Their Friday starter is Caedmon Parker, who has a high ceiling in 2024. Parker was a draft pick (11th round) last spring but turned it down to return to Fort Worth. San Diego’s two best arms are throwing on Saturday and Sunday. The Toreros will be trotting out a Freshman on opening day. I like TCU here in game one as I see more value on San Diego in games 2 and 3.

Ohio State @ Arizona State

I like this Sun Devil squad this year as you can find them in my preseason conference winners and Omaha 8. It’s a longshot, but there are pieces to like. Ben Jacobs will be one of the better arms in the Big 12. Campbell’s old coach, Justin Haire, takes over at Ohio State. I believe he will eventually have this program as a Big Ten contender but not in year one.

James Madison @ Florida State

Old Dominion @ Georgia Tech

Two underrated Sun Belt schools traveling to an ACC school to open their seasons. I believe GT and FSU both win on Friday with Arnold and McKee pitching. However these are two good SBC teams and I would not be surprised if one steals a game here this weekend.

A lot of aces are lined up to face mid major lineups on Friday. Upsets do happen, but it’s hard not to back these arms in these spots even if they are on an early season workload.

2/14 Betting Card

• Bets are listed as “to win.” I have been volume heavy in college baseball. You are welcome to tail, fade, etc. I will update my card here as I place. Everything will be tracked.

1.5u: Virginia + Duke ML -126 ❌ -1.89u

1.5u: Arizona St + Stanford ML +125 ✅ 0.75u

• Stanford PPD. ASU ML -200. 1.5 to win 0.75

1.5u: UCSB + Florida State ML -124 ✅ 1.5u

1u: UCSB + Indiana ML +114 ❌ -1u

1u: Florida State + Kansas State ML +107❌ -1u

1u: UNC + Oregon State -125 ✅ 1u

1u: Arizona State + Georgia Tech -101 ✅ 1u

1u: TCU ML -154 ✅ 1u

1u: Penn State ML +150 ✅ 1.5u

1u: Vanderbilt ML -165 ✅ 1u

1u: Nebraska ML +105 ❌ -1u

1u: ULL / Troy / DBU / Arkansas -118 ✅ 1u

1u: Stetson / UConn u12.5 +100 ❌ -1u

1u: Louisville +150 ✅ 1.5u

1u: Cal Poly / UCLA u10.5 -115 ✅ 1u

1u: Minnesota / Houston u12.5 -115 ❌ -1.15u

1u: Clemson / OKST u10.5 -105 ❌ -1.05u

0.25u: UNC / Oregon St / Duke / Florida St / UCSB / Vanderbilt / Stanford +829 ❌ -0.25u

10-8 (+2.91u)